Garment with protective elastic leg dams

Abstract

The specification discloses a protective garment, specifically a diaper, whose body has opposed side portions folded inwardly towards one another, each along an arcuate fold line. An elastic strip in a partially stretched condition is folded over each fold line and secured in place to create a contoured protective garment having curved leg conforming side edges and inwardly projecting protective dams along each side of said garment.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A garment for closely conforming contact with the lower torso of a mammal to absorb or otherwise contain body waste or exudate therefrom, comprising: a generally rectangular absorbent web;   an arcuate fold formed along each of first and second opposite edges of said web through the thickness thereof and extending inwardly of the plane of said web, defining opposed containment flaps depending out of the plane of said web and further defining opposed, leg conforming side edges for anatomical conformity with the torso when the garment is disposed between the legs of a wearer; and   elastic fixturing means secured proximate said arcuate folds for securing said containment flaps in a disposition toward the torso when the garment is in use, to contain within a central region of said web waste or exudate from said wearer;   wherein said elastic fixturing means comprises an elastic strip disposed over the exterior of each of said arcuate folds in a stretched condition whereby, upon relaxation, said elastic fixturing means gathers said web.   
     
     
       2. A garment for closely conforming contact with the lower torso of a mammal to absorb or otherwise contain body waste or exudate therefrom, comprising: a web having a substantially planar configuration;   an arcuate fold formed along each of first and second opposite edges of said web and extending inwardly of the plane of said web from said first and second opposite edges, defining first and second leg margins;   first and second opposed side portions respectively proximate each of said folds and depending at said margins out of the plane of said web as continuous extensions thereof, defining means for containing the body waste within a central area of said web generally intermediate said folds;   elastic fixturing means disposed proximate each of said folds for establishing the conformation of both (a) said leg margins and (b) said side portions;   wherein said web comprises a substantially rectangular body and an absorbent material, whereby the garment is a diaper; and further   wherein said elastic fixturing means comprises an elastic element disposed over the exterior of said arcuate fold.   
     
     
       3. A method of forming a garment for closely conforming contact with the lower torso of a mammal to absorb or otherwise contain body waste or exudate therefrom, comprising: (a) folding a substantially planar web along opposed arcuate fold lines extending inwardly of opposite edges of said web to define opposed containment flaps depending out of the plane of said web and further defining leg conforming side edges for anatomical conformity with the torso when the garment is disposed between the legs of a wearer; and   (b) elastically securing said containment flaps along said arcuate fold lines in a disposition toward the torso when the garment is in use, to contain within a central region of said web waste or exudate from said wearer, wherein said web is gathered along said side edges.   
     
     
       4. The method of claim 3, wherein said securing step comprises securing said containment flaps in a disposition toward the torso when the garment is in use and securing an elastic strip over the exterior of said arcuate fold lines. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim 3, wherein said securing step comprises sewing said containment flaps to said web along said arcuate fold lines. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim 3, wherein said securing step further comprises placing an elastic strip over the exterior of said side edges and sewing said containment flaps to said web through said elastic strip.